Persepolis aim to reach ACL final: Branko Ivankovic

Tehran Times – TEHRAN, Persepolis coach Branko Ivankovic says they are aiming to reach the AFC Champions League final match for the first time.

The Iranian giants qualified for the ACL semi-final last year but failed to book a place in the final match after being defeated by Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.

The Croat says Persepolis want to go one step forward to reach the competition’s final this season.

The Iranian giants, who sit top of the Group C with six points, defeated Al Wasl of the UAE 2-0 last week and will meet the team at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai on Tuesday.

“Al Wasl is a strong team and we know it will be a difficult match. In my opinion, all participating teams in ACL are strong teams. However, we are determined to defeat our opponents,” Ivankovic said in the pre-match news conference.

“We’ve played so many matches in the past days but it could not prevent us from reaching our goal. Persepolis is a well-prepared team than we were last year,” former Iran national team coach stated.

“We’re proud of us for advancing to the semi-final last year but Persepolis are going to book a place in the final match this time,” Ivankovic concluded.